BHU dean set to take over as Panjab University vice-chancellor

CHANDIGARH: Professor Raj Kumar, the dean and head of the Institute of Management Studies at Banaras Hindu University, has been made new vice-chancellor of Panjab University. Kumar will be replacing Arun Grover and will be the 14th vice-chancellor of the university.
Kumar has been appointed for a period of three years starting July 23. With 35 years of teaching and research experience in insurance, capital markets and entrepreneurship, Kumar holds DLitt, PhD, MBA and MCom degrees.He has authored four books and has completed six major research projects.
The selection committee had submitted a panel of three names to vice-president M Venkaiah Naidu who is the chancellor of Panjab University. Along with Kumar, the panel had also recommended the names of Professor Raj Kumar Kohli, vice-chancellor of Central University of Punjab, Bathinda and one other person. In the end, Kumar’s name was chosen.
“Besides academic strength, we were looking for somebody with human resource management skills and a research background,” Dr Kapil Kapoor, chairman of Indian Institute of Advanced Studies at Shimla, who was part of the search panel told TOI. “The selection panel was unanimous in sending the three names.”
Sources added that the panel was also looking for someone with sufficient administrative skills to handle a big and complex educational institution like Panjab University. Also, many of the applicants for the job had already been vice-chancellors earlier. The panel was looking for someone who would be comparatively young and would become vice-chancellor for the first time. Kumar is 59 years old.
Besides Kapoor, the search panel included M Ramachandran, IAS (retd) and chancellor ICFAI University, Dehradun and Dr M Jagadeesh Kumar, vice-chancellor JNU.
The new Panjab University vice-chancellor has served as coordinator of the technical cell in the office of the vice-chancellor at BHU and as chief coordinator of industry institute partnership cell. He has served as executive member of LIC Policy Holder Council and All India Commerce Association.
At the institute, he set up a start-up cell and also started work on consultancy services, collaborative courses and projects, connecting the institute with different ministries of the central government, its agencies, banks & financial institutions and reputed private corporate entities for possible tie-ups.